This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from my application LCD MONITOR filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on May 21, 2001 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 2001-27811.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor. More particularly, it relates to an LCD monitor having an improved structure combining an LCD assembly and a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
An LCD monitor is a display apparatus using the phenomenon that, when a certain voltage is applied, the arrangement of a liquid crystal is varied to prevent light from passing therethrough.
The LCD monitor has the advantages of space utility because of its small size and low power consumption, so that the LCD monitor is preferred by many users. However, most users cannot easily afford the LCD monitor due to its high price.
Therefore, technology for reducing the cost of the LCD monitor has been developed. For example, reduced cost is achieved by reducing the number of components thereof or by improving the production steps thereof.
An LCD monitor comprises a cover casing forming an outer appearance thereof, an LCD assembly accommodated in the cover casing, and a PCB assembly for transmitting electric signals to the LCD assembly.
The cover casing comprises a front casing and a rear casing which are combined with or joined to each other to form a space for accommodating the components, including the LCD assembly, the PCB assembly, etc. An opening is provided in the front casing, through which opening pictures displayed on an LCD panel are transmitted to the outside of the LCD monitor. Air inflow slots and terminal accommodating holes are provided in the rear casing.
The LCD assembly comprises an LCD panel on which pictures are displayed, and an LCD support frame which is combined with or joined to the circumference of the LCD panel. Screw combining holes are provided at the left and right sides of the LCD support frame in order to join or combine the LCD assembly with a panel support.
The panel support for fixing a position of the LCD assembly, and a PCB shield for protecting the PCB assembly and fixing a position of the PCB assembly, are accommodated between the front casing and the rear casing.
The panel support is made of a metal board for surrounding the rear surface and circumference of the LCD assembly. A plurality of combining flaps is provided at the circumference of the panel support for joinder or combination with the rear surface of the front casing. Screw passing holes are formed in the combining flaps. The LCD assembly is accommodated in the panel support and is combined with or joined to the panel support by screws. The panel support combined with the LCD assembly is also combined with or joined to the rear surface of the front casing by a plurality of screws.
The PCB shield is made of a metal board for accommodating the PCB assembly. A plurality of flanges is provided at the circumference of the PCB shield, and screw passing holes are formed therein. The PCB assembly is fixed to the rear surface of the panel support by screws. The PCB shield is combined with or joined to the rear surface of the panel support by a plurality of screws and covers the PCB assembly.
However, because the panel support and the PCB shield of the LCD monitor are separately provided components and are assembled using a plurality of screws, the assembly process is complicated and the cost of production is increased.
Accordingly, the present invention has been developed with the above-described shortcoming and the needs of the user in mind. An object of the present invention is to provide an LCD monitor which is capable of simplifying the assembly process and reducing the cost of production by reducing the components thereof.
This and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of an LCD monitor comprising a front casing, an LCD assembly combined with or joined to the rear of the front casing, and a PCB assembly for transmitting electrical signals to the LCD assembly. The LCD monitor further comprises a support comprising an LCD support part combined with or joined to the front casing and disposed at the rear of the LCD assembly for pressing the LCD assembly against the front casing, and a board accommodating part integrated with the LCD support part in one body and accommodating the PCB assembly therein.
Preferably, the board accommodating part is formed so as to protrude rearwardly inside the LCD support part. At least one input port is provided at the circumference of the PCB assembly, and a port passing opening is formed at a certain area of the board accommodating part corresponding to the input port.
For the sake of efficiency, the LCD monitor support comprises a bent flange adjacent to at least one side of the LCD assembly and preventing the LCD assembly from moving out of the support. A plurality of casing combining flaps having screw passing holes is provided in the bent flange, and screw coupling parts are provided at a part of the front casing corresponding to the casing combining flaps.
Further, at least one stopping projection is provided in either the circumference of the LCD assembly or that of the front casing and projects toward the other one of the two, while a stopping groove is provided at the other one of the two in correspondence to the stopping projection.
Preferably, the LCD monitor comprises a rear casing forming, in cooperation with the front casing, a space for accommodating the LCD assembly, the PCB assembly and the support therein, and at least one pressing projection is joined to one of the LCD assembly and the rear casing, and presses the LCD assembly against the front casing.